Challenge Accepted!
by phayte1978
Summary: Did Haru... really challenge Makoto to a race? Since when was Haru so competitive?


**This piece is for the MakoHaru Flower Exchange! **

**Flower: hydrangea**

"C'mon, Haru! We are gonna be late!" Makoto called out, impatiently pacing the front hall waiting for Haru to finally show up.

"I'm coming…" Haru said, his uniform all undone and not properly put together.

A sigh and Makoto just pinched his nose. Every single day was the same. Even as Haru came running by him at the door, Makoto just shook his head so they could start their walk to school.

"Finish all your homework?" he asked as they passed by a couple shops.

"Figured I'd just copy your answers in homeroom," Haru replied.

"Haru! You can't keep doing that!" he exclaimed, though they had the same conversation, every morning.

Picking up the pace as they would surely be late, he didn't pay attention that Haru wasn't immediately behind him- because Haru always was. Making his way to the school yard, he turned and saw Haru wasn't behind him.

"Haru?"

Looking out, he saw Haru slowly walking his way, a flower in hand.

"Haru! We're going to be late!" he whined.

A shrug of his shoulders, and Haru slipped the flower in the front pocket of Makoto's uniform and kept walking. "Then let's get moving."

Looking down at the flower in his pocket- it was a pale blue flower that looked like cups all smushed together to form some sort of ball. Still standing there, Makoto ran his fingers over the blossoms and saw where Haru was still heading into the school.

Running to catch up, they made it into class right as the bell rang. Makoto wasn't paying any attention to Haru grabbing his homework to copy off of, all he did was stare at the pretty flower in his pocket.

Haru had never given him a flower before.

* * *

"I'm gonna grab a drink, want one?" Haru asked during break in class.

"Yeah sure, thanks!" he said.

The moment Haru left class, Makoto heard his name being called. Seeing Rei and Nagisa at the door waving to him- Makoto went to join them.

"Nice flower!" Nagisa said.

"Thanks! Haru gave it to me!" he said with a smile.

"Haru doesn't seem the type to give flowers," Nagisa said.

Rei just stood there, his finger under his chin, staring.

"What?" he asked.

"Is that a hydrangea?" Rei asked.

Makoto shrugged just as Haru came back with a drink for him. Rei looked at Haru and narrowed his brow then grabbed Makoto by the wrist, pulling him down the hallway.

"Rei! Makoto!" Nagisa yelled out, but Makoto was being pulled by a very determined Rei.

"We will be back!" Makoto called out.

He had no idea where he was being led to, until they got to the library. He watched as Rei mumbled a bit to himself then pulled a book off the shelf.

"Just as I thought!" Rei proclaimed, then his hands to his glasses. "You've been challenged!"

"What?" Makoto asked, confused.

"The hydrangea- first discovered in Japan, the name hydrangea comes from the Greek word 'hydor,' meaning water, and 'angos,' meaning jar or vessel. This roughly translates to 'water barrel,' referring to the hydrangeas need for plenty of water and its cup-shaped flower!" Rei exclaimed.

"Ok… so Haru gave me a water flower. How appropriate!" Makoto said, smiling as he looked down at the flower.

"But wait! There is more!" Rei said, "It also stands for vanity and boastfulness!"

"But Haru would never-"

"-Haru is challenging you! To a water match! A race!"

"But it's just a flower…" Makoto trailed off.

"And when have you ever known in all your years of knowing Haru, for him to give you a flower?" Rei asked.

Makoto shrugged. It was odd, but it did brighten his day. Looking down at the flower in his pocket, and thinking what Rei had told him…

Had Haru challenged him?

Since when did Haru become so competitive?

Haru never cared about times or races. Makoto was lost in thought when Rei yelled out- scaring him and everyone else in the library. "We will do an official match at swim club, after school!"

The librarian and everyone around them shushed Rei and his face turned red. Ducking down, they both exited the library and walked back to class.

Nagisa was still chatting with Haru when he got back, though Rei bent and whispered in Nagisa's ear, making him squeal out.

"I have to tell Gou!" Nagisa squealed and took off out of the room.

"Tell Gou what?" Haru asked.

"Like you already don't know!" Rei huffed, then crossed his arms and exited the classroom.

Turning back to him, Haru looked up and Makoto got lost in the ocean blue eyes staring at him. Had Haru really challenged him? The small flower in his pocket all of a sudden weighed heavy. A sigh and Makoto sat down.

"What was that all about?" Haru asked.

All Makoto could do was blink like an idiot. That brief moment of happiness he had all morning had been clouded over. For some reason, Haru wanted to challenge him to a race, and he had no idea why. Haru was never the type to show off, or even boast about his swimming. Why this? Why now?

Before he could sink deeper into his thoughts, he felt those eyes glaring a hole in his skull. Smiling, Makoto just shrugged as the teacher walked in- announcing it was a group assignment. It wasn't like he even had to ask- but Haru was turning his chair around and doodling on the paper they would turn in.

"Are you even contributing to this?" he finally asked about about ten minutes into the assignment as he was doing all the work- and Haru none of it.

"Of course I am!" Haru grumbled, still doodling on the corner of the paper.

When Makoto looked at the doodle, it was the flower he still had in his pocket. Was Haru making sure he was aware of the challenge? Was Haru actually bragging?

"So um…" Makoto started, but he wasn't sure how to even ask. "About this morning…"

"Yeah, sorry about that," Haru mumbled, starting a new doodle on the other corner of the paper, still not contributing to the actual work. "Was making my lunch."

"No!" Makoto exclaimed, dropping his pencil. "I mean about-"

"Tachibana! Nanase! That doesn't sound like working!" the teacher called out.

A sigh and Makoto went back to answering the questioning while Haru continued to draw hydrangeas all over their paperwork.

* * *

"Hey, Rin!" Nagisa squeaked on the phone. "You'll never guess what happened!"

"Why don't you just tell me… I hate guessing games," Rin said.

"Is Sousou with you?" Nagisa asked.

"Where else would he be?" Rin asked.

"Perfect! Put it on speaker so you both hear!" Nagisa squealed.

Nagisa, Gou and Rei were on the rooftop and had been at a quandary all day over this challenge Haru put forth onto Makoto. Nagisa started to explain the challenge, only to have Rei confirm it and Gou clutch at her chest.

"Wow," Rin said, "Haru finally stepping up and challenging someone."

"You guys should come do the match at Samezuka," Sousuke said.

"Oh that could be fun!" Nagisa squealed.

"Yeah, we can get our boys in on it too," Rin said.

"It's a date!" Nagisa yelped.

* * *

It had been on Makoto's mind all day. Even as he sat in class, chewing on the end of his pencil. Why would Haru challenge him?

Nagisa texted in the group chat they were headed to Samezuka for practice today, and Makoto sighed. Why did another school have to be brought into this?

He sighed for the hundredth time that day.

When the end bell finally rang, Haru grabbed his bag and stood up.

All Makoto could manage to do was sit there another moment, clutching the end of his desktop.

"Makoto?" Haru asked, walking over to his desk. "Are you feeling ok?"

One last sigh and Makoto nodded. "Yeah… I guess."

The flower was still in his pocket as it had been all day long. He should have tossed it, knowing what it stood for.

His thought process was broken as a hand entered his field of vision- Haru extending his hand out to him. "Well come on! We don't want to miss the bus."

Taking the hand he had grabbed for years, it didn't feel different. It was still just Haru. Walking outside to the hallway, Rei, Nagisa and Gou waited for them. Chatter and talk all the way to the bus stop, but nothing about the challenge.

It wasn't til midway through the bus ride it had come up.

"Haru! I can't wait to see you and Makoto swim!" Nagisa exclaimed. Makoto sat up a little bit straighter, his thigh pressing against Haru's next to him. Would Haru finally acknowledge his challenge?

Haru just shrugged. "We swim every day."

It didn't seem like any other day to Makoto. But this wasn't just any other day! Makoto could feel the sweat building on his lower back as he thought about this challenge. Was Haru really out to prove who was the better swimmer? All his life, Makoto knew it was Haru- and he has always been ok with this fact. There was magic to Haru in the water, one that made him want to swim as well. The rest of their little group got to talking and Nagisa even giggled- challenging Rei to a match. The chatter continued as they got to Samezuka and they made their way to the locker room.

Gulping for air, Makoto felt the locker room was too hot and too stuffy. That damn flower was still resting his pocket. Gently setting it down in the locker, Makoto then slipped his shoes off and placed the flower in his shoe. Even if it was a challenge, Haru had never given him a flower before. The flower was pretty and vibrant- he just wished it didn't stand for what was about to happen.

Haru quickly changed, then turned to face him.

"You ok?" Haru asked.

Nodding his head, Makoto lifted his shirt over his head. "I'll meet you out there, ok?"

A nod and Haru left the locker room. It was just Makoto and his thoughts now.

"So, you're really gonna do it, huh?" Sousuke asked, coming around the corner.

"How can I not?"

"You could just turn down the challenge," Sousuke stated.

Sitting the bench, Makoto clutched his swim trunks, wishing it was all that easy. "I guess Haru just wants to prove he is better…"

"Or maybe Haru is looking to have some fun in the water," Sousuke pointed out, then clapped him on the shoulder. "Good luck! I'll root for you!"

Another sigh and Makoto finished changing. He didn't want to leave the locker room as that was facing the challenge ahead- Haru and this race.

He was not expecting the pool to be packed. When he stepped out, the entire Samezuka swim team was there. Everyone started to cheer and chatter as he made his way over to the edge of the pool.

"Alright!" Rin yelled out, making everyone quiet down. "Let's have us a race!"

Makoto looked over at Haru, who only shrugged at him and stepped up to the starting block. A sigh and Makoto joined him.

"...Haru," was all he managed to mumble out.

"Alright! On the count of three, you will both swim a 100 meter freestyle race!" Rin announced, causing everyone around them to cheer and holler.

Makoto tried to focus on the water, and the presence of Haru next to him. Assuming the position, they waited for the call.

"THREE!" Rin yelled- both of them diving perfectly in the water.

The roar of everyone around them as Makoto slid into the water- immediately feeling Haru's presence even more. That feeling of swimming with Haru wrapping around him, willing him limbs to give all they could. Each stroke in the water only calming his mind more.

Was this what Haru wanted?

They swam every day together- so why this? Why now?

At the first turn, he was behind Haru, but he expected that. As always, Haru was ahead of him. He could see him clearly as they made their way down their lanes. The cheering got even louder as they made their way back.

Makoto just took that time to feel the water and to feel Haru.

Before he knew it, his hand was pressing the wall. Launching up, the water splashing all around him, he saw Haru standing, shaking out his hair.

"Haru wins!" Nagisa squealed.

"...Haru," Makoto whispered, watching as Haru stepped out of the pool, then made his way over to his lane, extending out his hand to him.

That same hand that was always there when he needed it most. Smiling up at the ocean blue eyes staring down at him, Makoto took that hand and pulled Haru back into the pool. Everyone got to cheering and jumped into the water with them. Splashing and people dunking each other as mass chaos surrounded them.

When Haru surfaced, he was laughing. A rare sight. Even if it only was for a brief moment before he realized it- Makoto saw it. It was only a mere moment, then Haru was back to his stern emotionless face staring at him.

"Makoto," Haru said, swimming over to him- forcing him to back up against the pool wall. "Why did you want to race me?"

"What?"

"Why the race?" Haru asked.

Makoto felt his entire brain short circuit on him. Haru was close- very close. The water like glass around them as everyone else splashing seemed to be far away.

"You challenged me!" Makoto answered.

Haru gave him a questioning look, then tilted his head. "When?"

"This morning!" Makoto exclaimed. "The flower!"

Haru looked even more confused.

"Haru!" Makoto exclaimed, "That flower you gave me meant you were boasting and Rei said you were challenging me!"

"So that is what this is all about?" Haru said, turning and both of them looking at everyone carrying on around them.

"So then… what was with the flower if you weren't challenging me?" Makoto asked.

Haru leaned in, kissing his cheek, blushing terribly and swam back a bit. "One of your stupid cats walked through the flower bed, and broke that stem. It was pretty… and I didn't want it to just get more trampled… plus it looked nice in your pocket today."

"So you did just give me a flower…" Makoto mumbled.

A nod and Haru just blushed, turning away from Makoto. "It wanted you to be happy," Haru whispered.

Makoto laughed out, reaching out and grabbing Haru's wrist, pulling him into a crushing hug. "Thank you," he mumbled.

Haru returned the hug then looked back out at everyone swimming. "Let's go swim."

With that, Haru slipped from his arms and into the water. Makoto smiled and shook his head. He should have known better- he did know Haru almost better than Haru knew himself.


End file.
